Disk wheel



July 3, 1928. 1,675,630

c. s. ASH

13115K WHEEL -Filed June 29, 1925 2 sneetsheer 1 'w Y y Q x .yf/$4 X xx n l thorn zu 0 2 H 3 4 6 n n Fa, Mnv al@ 7 s 6 .r u +V l e a m f/U 2 5 2 w... wm, 9 Amz .W SQKu u .IJ CDd. e l .l F

July 3, 1928.

Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES CHARLES S. ASH, F DETBOT, MICHIGAN.

DISK WHEEL.

Application mea :une as, 1923. aerial No. 048,440.

Both demountable disk and demountable wire wheels are in common use upon motor vehicles but these types of wheels as they are commonly constructed, are not interchangeable, that is a wheel of one type cannot be dismounted from its hub and a wheel of the other type slipped into place upon the same hub.

An object of the present invention is to Secure interchan eability between wire and disk wheels whic are demountable from the hub and to utilize a hub structure and mounting or securing and driving means common to both types of wheels.

A further object 1s to provide a reversible demountable wheel, that is, a wheel which may be mounted upon its hub with either side out as desired, this being particularly advantageous and desirable in disk wheels.

advantages in disk wheel structures due to the location of the disk wholly at one side of the central vertical load plane of the wheel, and to avoid crystallization and cracking of the disk due to localized strains where reinforcing members are employed adjacent the hub and where the disk is secured in place b studs or bolts passing through holes in the isk.

It is also an object to secure cheapness and facility in manufacture through inte ral formation of disk and rim portions an to secure increased resiliency and strength through disk configuration and arrangement thereof relative to its rim, and further to secure accurate centering and firm seating of a separate rim portion upon a disk where the other portion of the rim is an integral part of the disk. 4o A further object is to secure, in a disk wheel structure, the several advantages incident to the severaLnew and useful features and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully set forth.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the several matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which 4 Fi re 1 is a transverse section through one alf' of a disk wheel illustrating and embodying features of the invention and Fig. 2 is asimilar sect-ion through a wire wheel construction, said Figs. 1 and 2 to- Itis also an object to secure structural gether illustratin the interchangeability of the wire and dis wheel structures;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing a slightly modified construction and further illustrating, together with Fig. 1 which is a sectional view of a wire wheel simllar to Fig. 2, the interchangeability of wire and disk wheels employing common hub constructions and fasteningI and driving means;

Figs. 5 and 6 show transverse sections through the same disk Wheel but illustrating the reversibility` of the disk;

Fig. 7 is a; transverse section through one half of a disk Wheel showing a modified construction and illustrating' the integral formation of disk and rim portion;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7 and showin a slightly modified rim and disk constructlon; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views similar to Figs. 7 and 8 illustrating modifications of the disk and rim constructions.

In the manufacture and sale of motor vehicles and particularly of pleasure vehicles, it is very desirable that disk wheels be freely interchangeable with wire Wheels, that is, that such wheels have a common hub`construction and common securin and driving means so that a car equipped 1n the factory with disk wheels maybe quickly provided with wire wheels or vice versa, by simply demounting each wheel from its hub in the usual manner and substituting the other type of wheel therefor, employing the same hub structure without change and the same securing and driving means for both types of wheels, whereby the customer may be given his choice in types of wheels without added labor expense in makin the change and g5 without added expense dus to substitution of an entire wheel structure, including its hub and securing and driving means, for the discarded structure. Construction is also sim lified and the number of parts reduced 100 to t e minimum by interchangeability, further reducing cost of manufacture and expense to dealers in carrying complete wheels in stock and in making the change.

In Figs. l and 2 of the drawings such in- 105 terchangeable wire and disk structures are shown, the disk wheel shown in Fig. 1, having a permanent hub structure 1 which is identical with the hub structure for the wire wheel shown in Fig. 2. The hub 1 is 11 formed with an outstanding annular flange 2 at its inner end to which a brake drum 3, indicated in dotted lines, may be secured in the usual manner, and this flange 2is formed near its periphery to receive or carry securing and driving means for engagement with VWiiningvprovided with a seat surface 6 to be 6 of the inner hub. These bolts 12 engaged by the disk or by an outturned edge ortion or flange as shown at 7, and said disk is also provided with openings or holes 8 to receive studs or bolts 9 carried by or engaged with the flange 2, as by being screwthreaded to engage screw-threaded openings 10 in said flange, which flange may be formed with a boss around each opening upon the outer face of the flange, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to space the disk outwardly from said flange and form spaced a art seats lfor the disk or for the inner end o the wire wheel hub shell 5. When detachable stud bolts 9 as shown in Fig. 1, are employed, they are preferably formed with a tapering shank portion 11 to fit within the holes 8 in the diskand thus center and secure the disk upon the hub, saidY bolts at the same time serving together with the hub flange 2, as the driving connection between the hub and disk.

In a like manner, in Fig. 2, the stud bolts 12 passin through openings in the outer hub 5 an into screw-threaded openings 10 in the flange 2, perform the function of securing the outer hub in place upon the inner hubi and of forming the driving connection between the hubs.

In either t pe of construction, the wheel may be quick y and easily demounted by removing the bolts 9 or 12, when the wheel ma be pulled off. In the construction shown in ig. 2 a filler ring 13 is provided between a wall of the outer hub` 5 and said flange 2 on the inner hub, but this filler ring is only made necessary by the particular configuration of the outer hub to space the same from the -flange and to provide an inner seat for the outer hub upon the inner hub, said ring being formed to seat upon the seat surface the same function as the bolts 9 in t at they center and secure the demountable wheel in glace at spaced apartpoints and form the riving connection between the wheel and permanent hub.

In some instances it may be found desirerform able to reinforce the disk 4 adjacent the hub and more particularl where it is detachably secured to the hub ange 2, to give greater strength and rigidity where it is subjected to y the greatest bending strains. Such reinforcement is shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as an annular sheet metal plate 14 placed against the inner face of the disk 4 and provided with openings opposite the openings 8 in the disk, to receive the bolts 9, the inner edge of the reinforcement extending inwardly beyond these openings, but a short distance and the outer edge portion being curved away from the disk slightly as aty l5 so that as the disk is flexed laterally adjacent this curved edge and the outer edge ofthe supporting flange 2, said disk will gradually come into contact with said curved edge of the reinforcement as the flexure of the disk increases, thus providing an outwardly progressive support which, as the fleXure of the disk increases, engages the disk atan increased distance radially outward thereon. This reinforcement may, if found desirable, be secured along its inner edge to the disk in any suitable manner, as by welding, to cause the reinforcement to come awa with the disk when the wheel is dismounte but the outer curved edge of the reinforcement is free of the disk so that while the disk may bend freely to give increased resiliency to the wheel, it is strengthened by the reinforcement and the bending strains are distributed outwardly along the disk instead'of being localized at the outer edge of the reinforcement and supporting flange. A similar annular' reinforcing plate is shown in Fig. 3, the only diil'erence being that in Fig. 3, the plate is formed with a boss 16 around each opening for the bolts 9 to space the disk 17 corresponding to the disk 4 of Fig. 1, from the hub flange 2, said disk as shown in this'Fig. 3 being bossed slightly or the metal struck out around the.

openings therein for the bolts, as shown at 18 in said Fig. 3, thus providing a flange around each opening to give a greater area of contact of the disk with the bolt and also to revent the formation of cracks in the dis outwardly from these holes under the strain imposed on the disk at these points `by the bolts in holding the disk in place and in taking the driving strains. The inner edge of the disk may be flanged inwardly as at 19 to seat on the hub, instead of being curved outwardly as shown in Fig. 1.

The disk or web portion, proper, of the wheel is preferably located entirel at one side of the central load plane of tlie wheel as indicated by the lines X-X and shown in Figs. 1, 3, 8 and 10, or substantially so, as in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 9, the disk being curved laterally or dished toward the wheel rim to provide resiliency and strength to resist lateral pressures, strains and stresses on the wheel. This location of the disk percured to an inner hub flange, which flange also serves 'as a place of attachment for the brake drum and with the outer laterally curved portion so positioned relative to the rim as not to interfere with the usual valve stem indicated in dotted lines, which stem extends inwardly through the bottom of the rim. By locating the disk at one side of the centralxload line with that portion of the disk which is attached to the hub flange,

positioned upon said center line as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the demountable wheel may be mounted upon the hub with either side facing outwardly, thus providing a reversible wheel, whereby the appearance of the wheel may be changed at will by mounting the wheel with the disk either side out, the wheel rim having the same relation to the hub regardless of which face of the wheel is outermost when in place upon the hub. The wheels may thus be shifted to meet the buyers ideas of appearance without carrying different shapes in stock and the change may be quickly made with the usual tools required in demounting the wheel, thus eliminating many service'problems which arise in connection with wheels of this character.

As shown in Figs. 1, 7 8, 9 and 10, the disk or web of the wheel is formed with an integral rim portion upon which rim the pneumatic tire is adapted to seat and be held thereby, said integral rim portion being formed with one of the side flanges for retaining the tire in place upon the rim. In Fig. l, the disk 4 is dished inwardly and merges into, or is bent and then extended outwardly to form the fixed flange 21 of the rim. The opposite rim flange is formed by a detachable split ring 22 which is held in place by a. seat ring 23 adjacent the bend where the disk merges into the rim wall 20, said ring 23 forming an outer annular groove within which the split ring Seats.

This construction of disk wheel 1s Very simple and cheap to manufacture, being particularly adaptable to formation in dies which form at the same time, the rim portion, thus providing a disk and rim of accurate dimensions and uniform contour. The necessary drawing taper of that portion of the diesr which form the rim portion, give a slight incline to the bottom wall 20 of the rim so that easy removal of the tire from the rim is effected. As the major portion of the tire retaining rim is formed s imultaneously with the-forming of the disk, a

wheel of simple construction and minimum extending flange forming one of the retainY l.

number of joints is secured, and the structure has, therefore great strength,durability and accuracy of form, as compared with a disk wheel having a separately formed and attached rim. In Fig. 7 the disk 4 is dished inwardly with a long, outwardly sweepin curve 24 which merges into the bottom wa l of the rim substantially at the center of the rim and is continued to form theouter half 25 of the channel rim, the free edge of the metal being flanged outwardly to formV the retaining flange of said rim part. The other half of the rim comprises a ring 26 which is Vformed with an outwardly extending tire retaining flange at its .'outer edge and inwardly extendin flange 27 at its inner edge, shaped to seat rmly upon the curved portion 24 of the Vdisk so that this rim member' is accuratel centered upon the disk by the curved-shou der of the disk and may be permanently or detachably secured in place y bolts 28 or other suitable means. When this rim member 26 is detachable, its removal from the disk immediately frees the tire as it forms substantially one half of the rim and the remaining portion of the rim,

which is a continuation of the disk, has a A slight inclination, due to its curved formation and the necessa draw or taper of the dies in which this rlm portion is formed. Further, the long sweeping curve of the disk as it emerges into the rim eliminates the pocket adjacent the rim which would otherwise be formed and in which mud and dirt would accumulate, adding to the weight of the wheel and making it difficult to clean.

ThisV long sweeping curve provides space within the rim for a strai ht inwardly ex# tending valve stem, as in icated in dotted lines, and alsoassists in keepin the wheel free from mud and dirt as centri ugal action will cause the dirt to travel outwardly over this curved surface and be thrown 0E at the vouter edge of the rim. This curved portion also extends laterally toward the inner side of the wheel and inwardly of the annular angle between rim member 26 and adjacent curved part of the disk, thus tending to prevent the accumulation of dirt or mud in this angle. The long sweeping curve also adds to the resiliency and lateral bracing of the wheel and supports the rim at substantially detachable `annular rim member 32 which lis provided at its free edge with an outwardly ing flanges of the rim and has an inwardly extending flange to meet the straight portion 30 and seat upon curve 29. Bolts 33 passing through openings in the wallSO and flange of the rim member 32 detachably secure the detachable rim member in place, the shoulder formed by curved portion 29 of the disk, providing a seat and centering means for the detachable rim member.

The rim and disk constructions shown in Fig. 8 is similar to that shown in Fig. 7 except that the curve of the disk 4 as it merges into the rim portion is less pronouneed and is bent abruptly at its line of merger into the bottom wall 34 of the rim, which wall, at its free edge is formed with an annular retaining groove for a detachable split retaining ring 35, the opposite retaining flange of the rim being formed on a separate ring member 36 which seats andA is centered upon the curved wall of the disk adjacent the rim portion and is riveted or otherwise permanently secured thereto. As the main part of the rim is formed integral with the disk by the dies which shape the disk and as the riln part which is formed by the ring 36 seats upon and is centered by the shoulder or curved portion of the disk, the rim is always absolutely concentric with the disk and of accurate formation.

The construction of disk and rim 'shown in Fig. 10 is similar to theyconstruetion shown in Fig. 1, except that the detachable ring 37 forms a part of the bottom wall of the rim as well as a retaining flange and the holding ring 38 which is riveted or otherwise secured to the seat or shoulder formed by the curve of the disk adjacent the rim, is centered on the disk by such seating thereon, thus facilitating the accurate concentric location of this ring relative to the rim portion which is formed integral with the disk by the dies.

The means for detachably securing the wheel to its hub, is similar in the several figures in that in each instance the Wheelis accurately centered, secured upon spaced lapart seats, and driven by bolts or the like carried by or engaging a hub flange on the Inner end of the hub and securing the demountable wheel to said hub flange, whereby different types and conructions of wheels may be mounted upon the same hub and held, centered and driven by the same means in all instances, as hereinbef'ore described.

' and cracking and crystallization of the disk or the inner end of the hub shell under the weaving or lateral flexure of the Wheel is prevented by the securin of the disk or shell upon the said space apart seats. In Figs. `8 and 10 a particular form of securing means is shown comprising a bolt or stud 39 permanently mounted on the hub flange 2 and provided with a screw-'threaded outer end, which end extends through an opening in the disk 4 and is provided with a cap nut 40 to clamp the disk firmly a ainst the hub flange, or against the several osses 41 on said flange arranged in spaced apart relation around the flange to clamp the disk at spaced apalt points which permits slight flexure of the disk between these points of fastening and prevents cracks from forming in the disk under side flexure thereof or crystallization of the disk adjacent its mounting on the hub.

It has beenfound, where a sheet metal disk is clamped in place by bolts or studs passing through plain opemngs in the disk, that the lateral strains on the disk cause a slight movement of the disk at these holding points and the strains are so localized that in time, radial cracks are formed in the disk around the holes, weakening the disk and causing it to break. To revent such cracking or splitting of the disk at the several points where it is held by the bolts, the disk is flanged laterally as at 42 around each hole when the holes are punched, and to clamp and hold each flange 42, and thus prevent movement of the disk relative to the studs, each cap nut 40 is formed with an inwardly tapering recess at its inner end forming an internal conical or inclined surface 43 t0 engage the outstandin flange 42 and firmly clamp or bind this ange between said surface and the surface of the bolt or stud when the nut is turned up on the stud to firmly clamp the disk. A modification of such disk clamping and holding means is shown in Fig. 9 wherein the bosses 41 on the hub flange 2 are each provided with a cone shaped recess 45 around the stud or bolt 44 which engages a screw-threaded opening in the boss, said recess being provided to receive the flange 42 surrounding the openin in the disk, and the inner end of thehead of the bolt 44 is formed conical as at 46 to engage within the flanged opening and firmly clamp the flange 42 between 1t and the conical surface of the recess 45.

The several modified constructions illustrated, disclose that the several new and novel features of the present invention may be embodied in various structures and in connection with the various types of rims, such as clincher, Q D. etc. and the form, arrangement and combination of parts may be varied according to general type of structure desired, in so far as such changes come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A demountable wheel structure including a hub structure having an outwardly exlll apart seats for said hub portion of said demountable wheel and upon Which seats said portion is seated and secured by said securing and driving means.

2. A demountable Wheel structure including a hub structure having an outwardly extending flange adjacent its inner end, said ange being formed with a plurality of spaced apart seats and openings to receive bolts or studs for securing a den'lountable wheel portion in Contact with said seats, said Wheel portion being free to flex between said seats, and bolts or studs to secure and hold said wheel portion firmly and detachably seated upon said seats.

3. A demountable Wheel structure ineluding a hub structure having an outvardly eX- tending flange adjacent its inner end', said flange beingformed With a plurality of screvvthreaded openings to receive bolts or studs and said hub structure being formed with a plurality of spaced-apart seats having said openings therein, for a demou'ntable wheel to seat thereon having openings to register' with sai-d openings in said flange at said seats, and bolts to engage said registering openings to demountably secure said wheel upon said spaced-apart seats.'

4. The combination with a demountable Wheel having a hub portion, a hub structure adapted to receive said hub portion and having an outwardly extending flange adjacent its inner end, a, plurality of spacedapart seat-ing members upon which the hub portion is adapted to seat, and means for securing the hub portion to said flange.

5. A demountable Wheel structure including a mounting structure having an outwardly extending flange adjacent its inner end formed with a series of spaced apart seats and adapted to receive, a demountable wheel, studs or bolts carried by .Caid flange to engage openings in said Wheel, said studs or bolts and said flange forming the sole attachment for the Wheel to the hub and taking all load, driving and braking strains, and means detachablyengageable with said studs or bolts for drawing the hub portion of the Wheel into friotional seating engagement with said seats upon said flange at spaced apart places with intermediate portions unsecure-d.

6. The combination With a demountable Wheel having a Wheel hub-portion, a hub structure upon which said Wheel hub-portion is adapted to be mounted, said Wheel hubportion and said hub structure being formed to seat, one upon the other at spaced apart seats` and means for securing said wheel hubportion to said hub structure at said seats with said Wheel hub-portion firmly seated upon said hub structure at said seats and free to flex therebetween.

In testimony whereof I aliX my signature.

CHARLES S. ASH. 

